Saturday, November 1, 2008

Testing the Waters With a Community College Search

By Mohammed Jamali

Perhaps you didn't think you wanted to go to college, but now that you have finished high school you have changed your mind. Maybe you aren't sure if college is for you, but you don't want to let the opportunity for an education pass you by. You may even wonder "what to do with your life" and can't commit a full year of tuition to a four-year school.

What is the answer? One of the best choices for a student who is unsure, undetermined or nervous about college is to attend a community college. There you can experience high-quality education at a fraction of the cost of a four year college or university, you can earn credits that will transfer to any other academic institution, and most importantly you can "test the waters" to see if college is what you would like.

Community colleges earned their name by being just that, "community" schools. They accept all who apply, though deadlines will always determine if a student can enter the upcoming semester. These schools will often have multiple opportunities in a wide range of fields. Many are a two-year, Associate's degree program and some offer other professional credentials such as veterinarian technology certification, emergency medical training, and many more.

When beginning a college search among local community colleges it is a good idea to take one of the school's orientation tours. This way a student can see what kinds of resources are available to them. For example, some community colleges have extremely high-tech graphic design labs and studios and this is a great way to learn a new art form or even full-blown trade. Some community colleges are also technical schools and can provide auto mechanic, plumbing, electrical, drafting, and even engineering training.

A college search for a community college should also take into consideration whether or not there are classes at all hours of the day and evening. Many schools accommodate full-time working students and make many classes available during twilight and evening hours. Some schools also make weekend courses, and even some online classes, available to their enrolled students. While this can be an excellent opportunity for working students it may make it difficult for someone looking for day classes. It pays to visit a few schools, their web sites and counselor's offices to see which is the best fit.

Finally, when doing a college search for a community college take the time to make sure the school is fully accredited. This can be very important later on if a student would like to transfer to a larger college or university, or if they would like to go on to graduate school. Only accredited schools can offer course work, credits and transcripts that are considered valid by other accredited schools.

A community college is an excellent method of finding a career path without committing to a large student loan, a four year degree or moving to a new area to be near a large college or university.


For more visit our college search resource center for the most comprehensive article database we can provide, whether you're searching for the perfect university or community college, doing a scholarship search or a career search. College is one of the most important decisions you will make in your life and it's important that you make an educated one.

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